Song of the Morning Star
by Nena Camadera
Summary: Megaten crossover. One night, just before the morning dawn, the angels awaken seperate from their hosts to the sound of a foreign song...
1. Prayer

Song of the Morning's Star

Disclaimer: I own nothing

~*~

"_Light shines over Heaven _

_The Earth the Spirit."_

Deep within her host, World of Elegance stirred. Something was disturbing her sleep, and with a dissatisfied grunt, the tattooed angel slowly emerged from Urd's back, a grimace on her face as she sought the source of the disturbance.

"_Light brings glory and grace."_

Singing. Someone was singing. But who? The voice was unfamiliar to her. The angel glanced over at the goddess who was her host. Urd remained asleep, though her expression was troubled, perhaps unconsciously reflecting her angel's current state of mind.

"_May it open your eyes."_

The song continued, unperturbed by the angel's awakening, and World of Elegance moved to the door of the room, determined to find the owner of the voice. She paused for only a moment, tugging gently at the mental string that linked her to Urd's mind. No response. Urd's subconscious must have left the physical plane for Yggdrasill then, perhaps going over the computer system and checking to make sure everything was still in working order. She was after all, Yggdrasill's computer administrator. Just because her body wasn't present didn't mean she couldn't still do her job, or, at the very least, check to make sure her job was being done correctly.

And if that was so, it meant that the goddess wouldn't awaken until morning, when her subconscious had returned to the body housing it. Which meant World of Elegance would effectively be on her own in her search for The Voice.

World of Elegance shrugged, turning away from Urd and back to the door. So be it. She was fairly confident that she could handle whatever was singing on her own. Opening the door, the angel walked out into the hallway, wings that, even tucked tightly against her thin frame, still managed to brush both hallway walls.

Did mortals really need to build such narrow corridors? They always felt so cramped, and left her with a feeling of claustrophobia, something she blamed on being locked within Urd for so long without the chance to spread her wings.

"_To the truth, Shanti"_

The song had grown somewhat louder as the tattooed angel exited the room, and World of Elegance strained her ears, hoping to gain an idea as to what direction the sound emanated from.

"_Shanti"_

It sounded like it was coming from outside, and with a frown, the angel with the black wing exited the house. A cool breeze swept across her bare flesh, sending hair and feathers dancing gently in the wind and lightly chilling her exposed flesh. The angel took a deep, refreshing breath, the air tasting of morning dew that had yet to settle and smelling of green, growing forests.

Smiling, the angel with the odd eyes spread her wings, floating into the air and flapping the feathered appendages, more for effect then out of necessity. Angels, like the deities they were host to, used their magic to fly. Their wings were not strong enough to support a full grown angel or deity, and were instead used to control direction and speed, allowing the owner to turn on a dime, or speed into a drop only to come to a full-fledged stop inches before striking the ground.

Flying to the top of the shrine, World of Elegance came to a stop on the tiled roof, finding that someone else had already taken residency on top of it. A blue and black eye blinked, and World of Elegance was unsure whether to be surprised or not by Blue Lance's presence.

"_Divine Light"_

The angelic devil's eyes were closed, a smile that seemed simultaneously peaceful and mournful on her face as she hummed along with the song, the sound of bells mixing with the screech of sirens and creating an odd, hollow echo to the song. At World of Elegance's approach, the young familiar's eyes popped open, and the humming came to an abrupt halt as Blue Lance cast weary eyes on World of Elegance.

"World of Elegance…what are you doing here?" She asked, her wings folding around her in an unconscious gesture of submission. The relationship between the two was more then a little complicated, with Blue Lance seeing World of Elegance as something of a kindred spirit: a being that was both divine and damned at any given time. She looked up to the older angel as something of a role model, something the drove World of Elegance half-mad as the devil familiar sought to strengthen a 'bond' that, in the eyes of the black winged angel, existed solely in Blue Lance's mind.

It left World of Elegance skittish and temperamental whenever the two were around one another, and the young familiar had learned to fear the older angel's moods, only seeking the other's company when World of Elegance was in the presence of her 'sisters', which provided enough of a distraction that she could deal with the familiar's company.

Which was why Blue Lance couldn't help but stare at World of Elegance in a mixture of fear and hope: fearful as of what she had done to warrant the angel's attention, yet hopeful that the older angel had, for some reason, actively sought out her company.

World of Elegance frowned slightly before responding. "That song…you know it?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest uncomfortably.

Blue Lance's eyes lit up, and a large smile drew across her face. "You mean you can hear it?" She asked, climbing excitedly to her feet, wings spreading open in glee.

"_Our Heart"_

Taken aback but the little devil's exuberance, World of Elegance's eyes widened, and she numbly nodded her head. "Yeah…I can hear it…" Her eyes narrowed as her mind registered Blue Lance's words. "Wait…what do you mean 'can I hear it'? Are you saying I shouldn't?"

Blue Lance paused, her wings drooping slightly as the familiar took a step back. "Well…no. Not really. I've never heard of an angel who could hear His song. Usually only other devils can hear it." She said hesitantly, before tipping her head off to one side, maroon eyes inquisitive. "Maybe it's because of your host's heritage?" The last part came out as more of an after thought, and Blue Lance cringed as World of Elegance sent her a heated glare.

However, the look faded, and an excited smile adorned her face once more. "Oh, whatever the reason, I'm sure it isn't important." She floated over, surprising World of Elegance by taking her tattooed hands in her clawed ones, being careful not to accidentally hurt the older angel with her talons. "You need to meet Him." She said. "Someone like you…He'd love you." Her voice was soft, almost coming out as an odd sort of coo. Coming from the purified devil familiar, it was almost unnerving.

World of Elegance leaned back, unsure as to how to react to Blue Lance's odd attitude. "Who are you talking about? The owner of the voice? Why would he want to meet me?" She gave the younger devil a disgruntled frown, her brows furrowing together in confusion.

Blue Lance's smile was innocent, and for a brief moment, World of Elegance was reminded that, if anything else, this _was_ a familiar born from Belldandy and not some impish creature attached to some malevolent demon. She should at least hear the familiar out before jumping to conclusions.

"You know Him. All angels, all devils do." World of Elegance raised an eyebrow at that, but Blue Lance either didn't notice or ignored it. She didn't bother going into detail. "Would you like to meet Him?" She instead asked, deep red eyes filled with hope. "I promise nothing bad will happen. I'll even introduce you to Him myself!" The purified devil crowed, releasing World of Elegance's hands and stepping back, spreading arms and wings wide as though trying to prove her point.

World of Elegance's gaze turned skeptical, and Blue Lance gave her a pleading look. "Please?" She asked. "It won't be long-just a few hours at most. We'll be back in time to greet the dawn and return to our hosts before they even know we're gone."

Still, World of Elegance found herself hesitant. "I'm not too sure about this…" She murmured, a small, doubtful look on her face.

The violet haired devil moaned, a look of desperation spreading across her face. "Come on! Please!?" She asked. "What if we brought the others with us? Would you go then?"

Silence, and Blue Lance felt her resolve start to waver. And then, "Let me speak to Holy Bell."

"_Cries out to you deliverance"_

~*~

"Bell."

Holy Bell opened one soft blue eye, blinking sleepily as she emerged from Belldandy's back. Beneath her, Belldandy's only response to the angel's movement was a soft sigh, before snuggling deeper under her comforter, her subconscious taking note of her Other Half leaving, but sensing no danger and thus, refusing to awaken. Rubbing her eyes tiredly, the blonde angel looked over to the one who had called out to her.

Both World of Elegance and Blue Lance hovered within the entrance to the room, the latter of which had a rather hopeful expression on her face. Holy Bell blinked, the sight of the tattooed angel and the purified devil standing so close to one another on their own free will shocking her out of her sleepy state of mind. She looked between the two, raising an eyebrow in silent question before speaking up. "Elegance. Lance. Is there any particular reason you felt the need to wake me up so early?"

World of Elegance crossed her arms over her chest, looking slightly uncomfortable in the room as she bit her lower lip. Beside her, Blue Lance eagerly motioned the angel towards them, and as Holy Bell moved away from her goddess, Blue Lance spoke up. "I was going to take World of Elegance to meet someone, but she doesn't want to go alone." She stared at Holy Bell with pleading burgundy eyes. "Will you come with us?"

Holy Bell yawned, looking from one to the other in curiosity. "Who is it you are going to meet?" She asked, a slim, golden eyebrow arching in question.

World of Elegance shrugged her shoulders, sending a look towards Blue Lance. "Don't know. She won't say." The angel muttered, feathers ruffling discontentedly.

Holy Bell looked over at Blue Lance, but the devil simply smiled innocently. "Don't worry; you'll recognize Him when you meet Him." She said. "So will you come with us?"

Holy Bell hummed in thought, sky blue eyes darting between World of Elegance and Blue Lance thoughtfully before they shifted to gaze over at Belldandy's sleeping form. The goddess had a soft, gentle smile on her face. "Keiichi…" She sighed, before rolling over onto her side, her back facing the three other occupants in the room.

Holy Bell's lips quirked upwards in a small smile. Even without the link that bound her to Belldandy, it was obvious the goddess was having a rather pleasant dream. She probably wouldn't mind if Holy Bell took a small trip with the others. The angel looked back over at the other two. Besides, World of Elegance wasn't as used to being away from her goddess as she herself was, having been suppressed up until a little while ago. If anything else, Holy Bell could provide some support for her black winged kin.

The angel nodded her head, long, blonde wisps of hair swaying to and fro. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to come along." She said, her voice ringing clear like wind chimes. "Will we be gone long?"

Blue Lance shook her head, a smile that refused to fade on her face. "No. Like I told World of Elegance, it'll only be a few hours, at most. We'll be back before Lady Belldandy even wakes up."

It never ceased to amuse Holy Bell how Blue Lance preferred to call Belldandy by a title rather then simply call her by name. And it was only Belldandy, too. No one else, not even Keiichi and Welsper, both of which had played host for her, the latter of which still was, had a title. In Holy Bell's eyes, it was only further proof of the deal of respect the angelic devil held for her goddess, the one who had been the first to accept Blue Lance for what she was.

"Very well then. Let us not waste any more time here." Holy Bell gestured to the door. "Blue Lance, if you'll be so kind as to lead?"

The dark haired devil nodded, turning and exiting through the door. When it became apparent that World of Elegance was waiting on her to exit, Holy Bell did as well, sensing the tattooed angel fall into step behind her, the door closing with a soft snap behind them. As Blue Lance practically bounced down the hall ahead of them, World of Elegance spoke up. "Well? What do you think of all this, Bell? Who do you think this 'mystery man' is? As far as I know, Lance only knows two males, one being Keiichi, and the other being Welsper. And Welsper doesn't count now that he's become a 'she'." Her voice was low, rumbling like distant thunder.

Holy Bell sent her companion a half-hearted glare. "I think you need to stop judging Blue Lance so critically, Elegance. She is more angel then she is devil, and she's trying hard to fit in. I would think that as an angel shunned by her own host upon the first meeting, you would emphasize with her plight, and might even strive to make her feel more welcome among us."

Not long ago, such words would have hurt, especially coming from Holy Bell, someone World of Elegance respected as much as Urd did Belldandy. However, this was not the first time the subject had been brought up, and instead World of Elegance brushed the words off like molted feathers from her wings. "That still doesn't answer my question." The tattooed angel grumbled.

Holy Bell sighed, running a hand through her billowing hair. "Perhaps because I don't know? Maybe she met a local spirit or something similar and decided to introduce him to us."

She didn't need to see World of Elegance's face to know that the angel was staring at her with a raised eyebrow.

"You don't really believe that, do you?"

"…No. Not a bit. But compared to some of the things I _know_ you're thinking of, it's the most preferred."

"…Right…"

The black winged angel hardly sounded convinced, but she didn't push the matter. As the two lapsed into silence, Blue Lance bounded ahead of them and out the door that lead outside.

As the older two moved to follow suit, Holy Bell paused, almost causing World of Elegance to run into her. "What now?" The mixed angel demanded.

Holy Bell didn't respond right away, instead turning slightly and looking past World of Elegance and into the hallway, a small frown of her face. From Skuld's room, Noble Scarlet shyly peered back, and as World of Elegance turned to follow her companion's gaze, the child like angel ducked her head back into the room, briefly disappearing from sight before peeking out the hallway with a single red eye.

Holy Bell grinned. "Hold on one second." She said, moving past World of Elegance and down the hallway towards Noble Scarlet. Ignoring the tattooed angel's cry of protest, Holy Bell moved to Skuld's room, a gentle smile on her face as she gazed down at Noble Scarlet.

"Noble Scarlet, what are you doing up? Shouldn't you be resting in Skuld?" She asked, kneeling down and placing herself eyelevel with the smaller angel. Noble Scarlet frowned slightly, leaning against the frame of the door, her wings tucked tightly against her back.

"I was, but then I heard you and Blue Lance and World of Elegance." Her face scrunched up in displeasure. "You woke me up." She accused, still somewhat upset over her forced arousal from sleep.

Holy Bell cringed somewhat at the revelation. "I'm sorry Dear." She soothed, a hand moving to brush away a stray strand of hair that had fallen in front of Noble Scarlet's eyes. "Go back to sleep. We'll be sure to keep it down for you."

The frown on Noble Scarlet's face deepened, and the little angel shook her head. "No. I want to know what's going on. Where are you and the others going? Can I come too?"

"We're just going out to meet someone. I doubt it'd interest you much." Holy Bell jumped as World of Elegance's voice rang up from behind her. She turned, casting the other angel a surprised glance. She hadn't even heard the angel approach.

The blue and black eyed angel stood above them, seeming to tower over the duo with an authoritive stance. "Really. That's all we're doing. Go back to sleep, Scarlet. Chances are you'll be bored out of your mind if you come with us." The angel shifted her gaze to Holy Bell. "Come on. Lance is waiting for us outside, and I want to get this over with as quickly as possible."

Holy Bell stood, her brows furrowing together as she stared at the other angel. Beside her, Noble Scarlet crossed her arms over her chest in a pout, glaring angrily up at the two older angels. "Elegance?" Holy Bell asked, her voice inquiring as she looked at the angel with a frown.

World of Elegance wrapped an arm around her companion's shoulders, drawing the other angel closer to her side as the black winged angel turned away and lead her further down the hallway. She didn't notice Noble Scarlet follow quietly behind them.

"Holy Bell, think." She hissed, her voice soft in the silent hallway. "We're going to meet a friend of Blue Lance's. And purified or not, no matter how you look at it, Lance is still a devil. So just _who_ do you think her friend is?"

"But-"

"Yes, yes, I _know_. But still, if there _is_ a chance that this guy is dangerous, do you really think you can protect yourself and still look out for Noble Scarlet? She isn't Skuld. She doesn't have bombs or whatever to defend herself with. You can defend yourself as well as I, and I'm not even going to worry about Blue Lance. But Noble Scarlet?" The angel shook her head, sending black and white hair swaying. "She can barely use the simplest of spells. It'd be too easy for her to get hurt."

"Hey! I am _not_ helpless!" Noble Scarlet shouted, startling the two older angels in front of her with her outburst. Both angels let out identical yelps, neither one having expected such a loud outcry at a time when most sane beings were asleep.

Her arm falling away from Holy Bell's shoulders, World of Elegance wheeled around, blue and black eyes still wide from the momentary 'scare'. "Scarlet!" She hissed, sending a heated look to the little angel. "What are you doing eavesdropping on our conversation?"

The smaller angel stuck her chest out with a huff, clearly unintimidated by World of Elegance. "I can look out for myself, Elegance." She stated, ignoring the angel's initial question. "I'm not some kid you can just brush off and leave at home." Ruby eyes narrowed, and her small hands curled into fists. "Furthermore, you _are_ taking me with you. If you don't, I'll wake Skuld up, who, in turn, will wake Belldandy up, and prevent _anyone _from leaving."

It was a threat, one that left both Holy Bell and World of Elegance gaping in shock. As Noble Scarlet crossed her arms over her chest with a smug smile, Holy Bell blinked, her mind slowly processing the threat. Where had _that_ come from? It wasn't like any angel, let alone Noble Scarlet, to use threats on other people.

Heck, up until Scarlet had uttered the threat, Holy Bell would have said such a thing was nearly impossible. It simply wasn't in an angel's nature to issue such threats.

At her side, World of Elegance sighed, running a hand through her dual colored hair. "And now we see what happens when you hang around a devil too much." She muttered under her breath. Holy Bell ignored her.

"Well, if you're that insistent on coming with us…" The blue eyed angel murmured. "…we'll have to see what Blue Lance says." She smiled over at the younger angel, who returned it with an enthusiastic one of her own. "After all, the person we're to meet is her friend, not ours, and we wouldn't want to intrude with too many people, am I right?"

Noble Scarlet's smile dimmed somewhat at Holy Bell's choice of wording, but none the less she remained hopeful. "Alright, sure." She said, confident that the purified devil would allow her to tag along with the others on their little 'outing'.

World of Elegance frowned, shaking her head but offering no resistance. "Fine." She grumbled. "Let's go see what Lance has to say about this, then."

~*~

"Are you kidding? Of _course_ she can come along!" Blue Lance's exuberant cry filled the night sky, quickly followed by a victorious whoop from Noble Scarlet.

In the courtyard, Holy Bell brought a hand to her mouth, muffling a soft giggle as she watched Noble Scarlet throw a hand up to the sky, fingers in a classic 'victory' gesture as Blue Lance pranced around her. Standing next to Holy Bell, World of Elegance suppressed a moan, her arms crossed over her chest and a small frown on her face as the two senior angels regarded their juniors.

"Alright, alright, so we're all going." World of Elegance said, waving her hands in a 'calm down' gesture. "Then let's hurry up and go see this 'friend' of yours. It's already 2 a.m., and you said that we'd be meeting with him for several hours." She grumbled, planting her hands on her hips and sending Blue Lance an impatient look. "So let's hurry up and get a move on."

The devil in question nodded happily, in too good a mood to let World of Elegance's attitude bring her down. "Okay!" She chirped, her dark wings spreading open as she sprang into the air. Flying several feet skywards, she glanced down at her companions, red eyes dancing. "Just follow me!" She crowed. "It isn't long from here. The flight should only last a few minutes."

Not needing any more of an invitation, Noble Scarlet was the first to follow after the dark haired devil, the lesser experienced angel struggling briefly as her wings sought out a good current to glide upon. Holy Bell smiled as she watched the two dance around each other before looking over at her tattooed companion. Seeing the troubled expression on her friend's face, the angel placed a hand on World of Elegance's shoulder.

"Don't worry. I'm sure everything will be fine." She soothed, before she, too, leaped into the air, flying high with a natural grace that only a master of the wind could have.

World of Elegance watched her soar upwards and join the others, an eagle amongst starlings. "I wish I could say the same." She muttered to herself. "But I can't help feeling that some how, this friend of Lance's is going to be nothing but trouble for us."

Then she, too was up in the air, gliding towards her companions as one wing disappeared against the dark sky.

The group of four playfully danced and weaved in the night sky as they slowly gained their bearings, testing different wind currents and riding on invisible waves before turning off into the direction of the city. With Blue Lance leading, the winged beings flew off, leaving behind the ones that were their hosts as they ventured off to parts unknown.

As Blue Lance lead the way, Holy Bell came up beside her, and the two weaved and dived in the air together, seeming to synchronize with one another as they preformed aerial feats that would have made a peregrine falcon green with envy. Behind them, World of Elegance and Noble Scarlet looked on, the latter of which sighed wistfully.

"They're so cool together…" Noble Scarlet murmured, watching the reformed devil and angel dance and twirl through the air like a pair of ballerinas. "Do you think I could ever be that good?"

At her side, World of Elegance cracked a smile, the tension that had been mounting inside her since awakening that night fading somewhat with the chance to spread her wings. "You could try, but I'd say it's unlikely." She said, taking a small moment to simply revel in the feel of cool air flowing over her wings. "Those two are air elementals. They thrive in this sort of environment."

The older angel chuckled as Noble Scarlet made a face. "Yeah, I know, but still…" She sighed. "Do you think I'd be more at home in the water then?"

World of Elegance arched an eyebrow. "Scarlet, you're an angel, not a mermaid. True, you're a water elemental, but that doesn't mean you can turn into a penguin and fly through water."

The red eyed angel snickered at the mental image. "And I guess that means you can't turn into a salamander and dance with fire, huh?" She asked, giggling as the tattooed angel made a face.

"Thanks for the picture, Scarlet. I _oh _so wanted to have my head filled with visions of me turning into a scaly lizard." She muttered sarcastically, huffing over-dramatically and sending her younger companion into another fit of giggles.

World of Elegance smirked as the younger angel laughed. "Come on. Let's show those two show-off's that they aren't the only ones who can dance in the air." She challenged, speeding off towards Holy Bell and Blue Lance, Noble Scarlet close on her heel.

~*~

They landed on a skyscraper, one that seemed to tower over everything around it. Above them, the night sky was dotted with bright globes of light that the landscape below the four seemed to try to futilely mimic with street lamps and car lights. The rooftop they stood upon was dark. Red beacon lights flashed silent warnings around the building's edge.

The roof top seemed unnaturally still. Not even a gust of wind stirred the four beings' hair, nor could the four hear the echo of city noises traveling up to meet them. The entire situation filled Holy Bell with unease, and a small frown tugged at the corner of her mouth as she looked over to Blue Lance.

"So this is the place?" She asked. "We are to meet you're friend here?"

The familiar nodded cheerfully, apparently unfazed by the somewhat unnerving atmosphere around them. "Yep. Just wait a few seconds. I'm sure he already knows we're here."

World of Elegance wrapped her arms around herself uncomfortably. They hadn't been there for five minutes even, yet already she wanted to leave. The place was giving her the creeps. "How do you know that?" She asked, eyeing her surroundings wearily.

The purified devil shrugged. "He's always come to greet me when I meet with him, even when I'm all alone up here." Which begged to question the times she'd arrived and found herself in the company of others.

Next to Holy Bell, Noble Scarlet stared with open wide eyes, her small hands wrapped around the older angel's right arm as she sought comfort from a friendly face in a harsh environment. Something about this whole place was wrong; she could feel it in the air. Suddenly she wanted to go home.

"Holy Bell…"

The older angel glanced down at her, sending the shorter haired blonde a strained smile. "I know Hon." She soothed, running her free hand through the red eyed angel's short hair.

The door that led off the rooftop opened, and four pairs of eyes automatically turned to it. The inner stairway was dark; only a single red light gave off any sort of illumination for those that dared use it. But it seemed to be enough. A dark figure emerged from the stairway, the red light that hung above the man's head painting his hair a shade of red reminiscent of freshly spilled blood.

As he exited the doorway, the red glow faded, revealing him to be a young man in his late twenties. His hair-now blonde without the reflecting red light-hung back behind his ears, falling down to his shoulders neatly. He was dressed sharply in a black suit with a red tie, looking for all the world a successful business man. He stared at the angels and devil with sharp, intelligent blue eyes.

Those same blue eyes traveled from one angel to the next, resting on each one of them just long enough to take in their appearance without seeming rude before moving on. And yet, despite that, something in his gaze made the trio of divine beings tense. There was something otherworldly in those eyes, something that was neither god nor demon, yet holding a hauntingly familiar air to him that made more then just Noble Scarlet nervous.

As his eyes landed on Blue Lance, the stranger broke out into a smile. The man opened his arms, and the devil familiar flew into his embrace with a happy crow, enticing a strange sort of laughter from the man that seemed both beautiful and sad at the same time. "Ah, Blue Lance! How are you this morning, my little Lilim?" He asked, his voice holding an odd musical note to it that Holy Bell thought was only specific to angels and their devilish counterparts. "I see you've brought company with you this time."

Blue Lance responded with laughter of her own, before separating from the man. Setting on her feet once more, she wrapped her arms around the stranger's left arm and guided him to where the other angels stood. "Yes." She cooed. "These are the ones I live with." She swept an arm out to the three, and Holy Bell was more then a little surprised to see the man nod in understanding.

The language of angels and devils was supposedly something no other race, save for the single entity an angel or devil played host to, was supposed to understand. The words that came so easily to them were spoken at a pitch no ear could truly capture, thus creating an illusion that angels and devils were mute beings, save for the songs of power they sang with their hosts.

For this man to have understood anything Blue Lance said, it could only mean one of two things. Either this man was a demon or deity in disguise, with an angel or devil of his own acting as a silent translator, or he himself was an angel or a devil.

As Blue Lance went about introducing her to the stranger, who's name she _still_ didn't know, and those chilling sapphire eyes met her own sky blue ones, some how, Holy Bell was betting on the latter.

The man smiled politely, his arm sweeping in front of him as he bowed deeply to her, before rising once more and gently taking one of Holy Bell's hands in his, kissing the knuckles in greetings. A small part of her noted that his fingernails were painted black.

"Ah, the angel Holy Bell. I must say, it is an honor." He said, straightening and allowing Holy Bell to withdraw her hand from his. The flesh tingled where his lips had brushed her skin.

She rubbed the spot with her other hand, regarding the man with a small frown. "You…know of me?" She asked hesitantly, her wings ruffling in unease.

The smile grew. "Indeed. I have heard much of the three angels who reside within the Norns." His eyes left hers, no doubt traveling to her companions. "But we can discuss more on that later. For now, let us trade the night air for a more controlled environment." He turned his back to them, walking towards the doorway he'd come from. "I hope you'll forgive my rudeness for not inviting you all in sooner." He looked back at them with one clear, enigmatic blue eye.

Clearly the man was waiting for them to follow, and as Blue Lance flitted to his side once more, Holy Bell risked a look back at her kin. The somewhat fearful look in Noble Scarlet's eyes had not disappeared. If anything, the apprehensive look seemed to have grown with the stranger's appearance. World of Elegance was no different, eyeing the blonde man with a suspicious frown, her expression dark as she glared at him.

Sensing her companion's gaze, the tattooed angel looked over to her. "And so the spider invites three flies to step in to his parlor." She muttered, crossing her arms over her chest and shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. The dark winged angel raised an eyebrow.

_You're the leader Bell. Do we follow him? Or run home?_

Wonderful. When had she been elected the angel in charge? The angel bit her lip, light hair floating on an imaginary breeze as she came to a decision.

Holy Bell sighed deeply, looking regretfully back at World of Elegance and Noble Scarlet. "We can't simply leave one of our own with such a strange being." She said, referring to Blue Lance, the only one of the four otherworldly beings who actually seemed at home in her surroundings. "And even if they do seem to know one another, I'd never forgive myself is something happened to Lance when I had the power to prevent it." Spoken like a true guardian angel-always looking out for those she cared for.

World of Elegance made a face, but otherwise nodded. "Fine. Let's go then. The sooner we get in, the sooner we can get out." She muttered.

Holy Bell smiled in relief. For a second, she was afraid the fire bringer wouldn't follow her into the building. "Thank you, Elegance." She murmured, before taking Noble Scarlet's hand in her own and walking off after the devil and _apparent_ mortal.

~*~

A/N: Fun fact: I seem incapable of writing even something as simple as a oneshot. Maybe if I'm lucky, I can make this in to a twoshot fic, but who knows. As it was, I got tired of seeing the pages stretch on and on with no end in sight, plus, after returning from MEPS with positive news in regards to my standing with the military, I thought it'd be fun to…celebrate, if you will.

Of course, with the recent attention to the angels that I've seen, now I feel like I'm joining some strange fan-craze…though somehow I doubt any of them hold as…dark an atmosphere as this one. At least not at the moment.

Fun fact #2: I also seem incapable of writing anything warm and bubbly, especially with characters that are generally seen as such.

Anyways, the song Elegance and Lance heard is called 'Prayer'. It's originally from the videogame Digital Devil Saga, which is one installment in the Megaten series. I tried to get the English lyrics as accurate as possible, so please bare with me in that regard.


	2. Cyphre

Song of The Morning Star

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing

The inside of the building was as silent as the outside. Not even the hum of electricity was heard, despite the fact that the stairway the small group traversed was illuminated with red emergency lights. The lighting created an illusion of a supernatural red glow to the surrounding walls, which did little to ease the nerves of the three angels present. The man and Blue Lance, however, seemed immune to the illusion, perhaps having grown used to its affect long ago. Perhaps they simply didn't care.

The group of five came to a halt at the bottom of the stairs, in front of a door with a neon green _EXIT _sign above it. The man looked back at the females in his company with a quick glance, saying, "I will have to ask that you wear an illusion once we move past these doors. I know it is something of a hassle for you, especially for the little one, but not all of my employees are of the otherworldly sort." He turned back to the door, and Holy Bell almost didn't catch his next words. "At least, not yet."

The man opened the door and stepped into the hallway beyond, looking back once more at the four with a furtive smile. "When you are ready, have Blue Lance lead the way. She's been here enough times to know her way around without getting lost." With a nod, he retreated from the door, ignoring the weak protests that escaped Noble Scarlet and World of Elegance's throats as the door swung shut behind him, leaving three angels and a devil in the red glow of the staircase lights.

When the door opened once more, three women and a young girl stepped into the hallway, blinking eyes that were suddenly assaulted by artificial light far brighter then the dim red glow they had grown accustomed to.

The illusions were good. Wings had disappeared, and the strips of cloth which had covered their flesh had been replaced with shirts, jackets, pants, and skirts, the combination changing in reference to each woman's preference. Eyes and hair of an unnatural hue had changed to more natural browns and blacks, save for World of Elegance, who, even with the illusion in place, still retained her trademark black and white hair and blue and black eyes. Considering such a combination, while odd, was possible in the mortal realm, nothing had changed on that account.

Of course, more then one person working the late shift in the building would send her an odd glance or two as she passed them by, but what did she care?

"Come on, this way." Blue Lance grabbed Holy Bell and Noble Scarlet's hands, hurriedly leading the two away from the door with World of Elegance trailing unenthusiastically behind them. Her hair, which had once been an odd shade of dark violet, had changed to black, and her red eyes were now a brilliant shade of mahogany. The devil's outfit consisted of a tight fitting leather jacket that covered the light spaghetti strap shirt she had on underneath it. A dark violet short skirt complimented the jacket, and a pair of long, lacy black gloves covered her hands.

Holy Bell and Noble Scarlet followed dutifully behind, Holy Bell dressed in a light blue blouse that complimented her eyes and a grey skirt long enough to almost cover her feet. Never one to stand out, the outfit was rather conservative in comparison to Scarlet's bright red t-shirt and contrasting denim jacket, a pair of black shorts and sneakers on her feet. Like Blue Lance, Scarlet's eyes had also changed color, and were now a shade of brown with small copper flakes that danced in the light.

"This feels weird…" Noble Scarlet whined, looking unhappily over at Holy Bell, who had used her magic to help the younger angel come up with a satisfactory illusion. The older angel nodded her head in understanding. "I know, Scarlet. Illusions have never been my specialty, and I'm sorry about that. The form of magic comes too close to deceit, and as I'm an angel to a first class goddess, it's only natural that I'd be a rather poor illusionist." She glanced over her shoulder at World of Elegance, who watched the trio before her in amusement. "World of Elegance is much better at such spells then I am."

The angel in question currently had her hands shoved into the pockets of her jeans, heels clicking with every step she made as brought up the rear of the odd little group. She wore an open black jacket, the kanji for 'angel' written in bold white characters along either side of the jacket's arms. Beneath that, a slim black shirt that hugged her figure, leaving her tattooed midriff exposed. The angel in disguise grinned as Noble Scarlet turned to follow Holy Bell's look. "That may be true, Bell, but you forget; unlike you guys, I'm just plain lazy. I'd have done a worse job on the both of you had you asked, and you'd be even more uncomfortable then you are now."

Angels had a tendency to 'feel' magic that was used on them, and illusion spells were no different. Depending on the strength of the spell and the skill of the caster, something like an illusion spell could go virtually unnoticed by the one under it. Or, in the case of Holy Bell and Noble Scarlet, it could feel like they were continuously assaulted by an ever present dust cloud, leaving both of the blonde angels feeling scratchy and uncomfortable.

"How long do we have to look like this?" Noble Scarlet asked, looking up to Blue Lance.

The devil in disguise looked back at her with an impish grin. "Not too long, hopefully. His room is on up ahead, and once we're inside, we probably won't have any interruptions from mortals. He'll probably let the disguises slip if we ask."

The group rounded a corner, passing several employees, none of which had a very…_human_ aura to them, and came to a halt in front of an elevator. The employees spared the group little more then a curious glance before returning to their business, and as Noble Scarlet and World of Elegance stared after the workers, both trying to guess at just _what_ lay under those illusions, the elevator door opened with a 'ding'.

Brought back to their current surroundings, Noble Scarlet and World of Elegance followed after Holy Bell and Blue Lance, who had already entered the metal box, the latter of which was already pressing a button for one of the lower floors. The door closed with all four present, and after a short ride downwards (one that left World of Elegance more then a little uncomfortable-did she mention how much she _hated_ cramped spaces?) they were out and following Blue Lance once more.

This floor had more employees on it then the last, and of all of them, Holy Bell counted perhaps three that were actually human. In fact, she was fairly sure the last man the four had passed had been an incubus, if the lecherous grin he'd sent her way was any indication. What were so many otherworldly beings doing here, anyways? One or two she could shrug off as mere coincidence, but this…

It was like the strange man whom Blue Lance had brought them to see had an entire legion of supernatural creatures under his reign. Who-_what_-was this man?

The four women turned down another hallway, this one ending behind two overly large, rather eloquently detailed doors-the type that would seem more at home in a western mansion or a castle rather then in the twenty-fifth floor of a skyscraper in the small city of Nekomi. They came to a halt in front of the doors, and World of Elegance took note of a small black plate that adorned one wall, the words, _CEO Louis Cyphre_ engraved in gold etching.

"Louis Cyphre?" She asked aloud, turning away from the name plate to look over at Blue Lance. "Is that his name?"

Sensing the black winged angel's gaze on her back, Blue Lance turned to look back at her companions. She nodded. "You…could say that." She said wryly, turning back to the two doors and pushing the left one open.

From within, two voices emerged, one of which held the odd note that angels and devils used to identify one another with, the other youthful, yet seeming to hold a haunting air to it, as though death hovered above the owner's head.

"…eed to return to them soon. Tomorrow, Minato will need to decide on a proper course of action. Mother Nyx will arrive soon, and then the end will come."

"Do you think the young man will make the right decision?"

The trio of angels and one devil peered inside. The man from before-Louis Cyphre-sat behind a large desk, his hands folded in front of him and resting at ease on the hard dark wood. Across from him, a younger man sat, this one little more then a teenager with dark hair and pale flesh. His back was turned to the quad, but from what they could see, a long yellow scarf fell from his neck, and he was wearing a white shirt with black trousers. Neither paid any of the women any attention, continuing their conversation as though the door had never been opened.

"I've been with him for ten years, Cyphre. And in all that time, he's shown me time and time again that he will do whatever he feels is right." The young man nodded. "I'm sure that when the time comes Minato will not hesitate." There was something of an affectionate tone in his voice, and despite any grievances she felt about eavesdropping on the teen's conversation, Holy Bell couldn't help but wonder who this 'Minato' character was.

Obviously, he must have been someone rather important for the incarnation of death itself to be speaking so fondly of him.

Louis nodded, an approving smile sliding across his features as the man stood. "Very well then. I wish both you and Mr. Arisato luck on your journey ahead. This young man has a hard road ahead of him, if he decides to face the Dark Lady herself." He reached a hand out across the desk, and the young man took it, shaking it as he, too, stood from his seat. "Give my regards to your mother when you see her again, Thanatos."

"Please. I prefer to be called 'Ryoji', in my current form, Mr. Cyphre." There was a hint of laughter in the young man's voice as he pulled his hand from Cyphre's, allowing the appendage to fall to his side. He turned, and dark eyes widened in surprise as they landed upon the four women who stood in the doorway.

For a brief moment, his form flickered, and where a man not even out of his teens once stood, a dark, masked behemoth of a man took his place, a long sword in hand and rows of coffins lined out behind him like wings.

And then the image was gone, replaced with a boy once more and leaving one to wonder if what they had seen had been real, or simply a figment of their imagination.

"I'm sorry. I hadn't known Mr. Cyphre had an appointment. Please, forgive me." The teen nodded politely to the girls, before shoving his hands into his pockets and exiting the room, the door shutting with a quiet 'snap' behind them.

"That…was Thanatos, wasn't it?" World of Elegance was the one to break the silence that had descended upon the room, turning from the door and eyeing Louis Cyphre critically. "What was a god of death doing here?"

The man smiled. "You're as sharp as the goddess who hosts you, Lady Elegance. Indeed, that was in fact Thanatos." His eyes wandered from the angel to the door behind her. "He had dropped by for a quick chat, perhaps in the hopes that I might give him some advice."

The man moved from behind his desk, motioning to a dark leather couch that sat along one of the side walls with the sweep of an arm. Taking the hint, Holy Bell latched on to World of Elegance, guiding the somewhat reluctant angel to sit, Noble Scarlet and Blue Lance trailing a few step behind. The quad made themselves comfortable on the dark couch, with Holy Bell in the middle and World of Elegance and Noble Scarlet on either side of her, where the angel of the wind could keep a close eye-or, in Elegance's case, grip-on her two companions. Blue Lance, the only one Holy Bell trusted _not_ to go and pull a stupid stunt in the unknown environment, sat on one of the arms in the couch, feet lightly kicking against its sides.

As the angels and devil made themselves comfortable on his furniture, Cyphre pulled up a chair of his own, placing it in front of the women and sitting down in it before continuing. "In the coming days, perhaps in this world, perhaps in another, a young man will be forced to make a decision that, in the end, will bring about the end of the world." The man spoke the words with all the casualty of a person discussing the weather with acquaintances, crossing one leg over another and leaning back into his chair, ignoring the cries of the angels before him.

"What!?"

Holy Bell hooked her arm around World of Elegance's, dragging the angel down before she had a chance to fully rise, and sending the slightly taller woman a look that said _behave yourself._ Her companion sent her a rebellious look, but none the less obeyed, and Holy Bell turned her attention back to Cyphre, her mouth set in a thin frown.

"You know this…yet you refuse to do anything about it?" The long haired blonde asked, speaking slowly as she carefully picked her words. "And why speak of such a delicate matter with us? We do not know you, nor you us." Where a hand was latched around World of Elegance's wrist, Noble Scarlet took note that the older angel's knuckles had gone white, the only visible sign that Louis Cyphre's words had any real affect on her.

Across from her, Cyphre smiled, revealing pearly white teeth that did little to ease the sudden pounding of Holy Bell's heart. "My Dear, I have born witness to countless worlds rise and fall. I have seen, time and time again, a single person rise from the ashes of a dead world and set into motion the beginning of the new. Men have been granted power, only to be influenced by beings both divine and damned in the ways of which to use it.

I have seen a boy with the heart of a human granted the body of a demon and told that he will decide the outcome of the new world, based upon his Reason for being. I have seen a young man born of neither a mother nor a father rise as a messiah and challenge the Almighty himself, committing the ultimate sin of actually _defeating_ YHWH, and being punished with an endless cycle of life, death, and rebirth for his crime."

Louis waved a hand in the air carelessly. "A young man hosting death itself for the past ten years in nothing, by comparison." The hand formed into a fist, one finger extended in a 'one' gesture. "And while, in the case of this young man, I am not allowed to directly interfere, should he form the correct bonds with the right people, and prove to me he has the strength to carry on in a world that is against him, I _will_ lend him a small ounce of my power, to call forth and be used at his discretion."

He shifted somewhat in his seat, and Holy Bell released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "However, that is neither here nor there, though I am sure that, with the deities you call _master_, you have seen more then your own share of worlds snuffed out."

The angels stiffened, and the man sitting across from them smiled. And for all the fact that Louis spoke the words with an almost mocking ring to them, Holy Bell was not the only one who found it strange that the smile he wore held no signs of maliciousness or malcontent, as she would have initially believed with the stranger in front of her.

It was Noble Scarlet who broke the uncomfortable silence that had descended at the comment, speaking the words that were on all the angels minds, words that neither World of Elegance or Holy Bell had the apparent courage to voice up.

"Who…are you?"

Sharp sapphire eyes shifted to the little angel, sparkling with amusement. "You mean you haven't come to a conclusion as to what I am, yet?"

Noble Scarlet met his gaze with hesitant red eyes disguised as brown, inching closer to Holy Bell as though the older angel could somehow protect the child from the man's unwavering stare. Sensing her younger kin's unease, Holy Bell wrapped a thin arm around the girl's slim shoulders. Drawing the child close, the tension that had mounted within the red eyed angel's small frame at the man's look was released, and Noble Scarlet relaxed somewhat, drawing strength in Holy Bell's presence.

"I see a being hiding behind the face of a man." Holy Bell stated, her face set in a determined line as she met the man's sapphire gaze with her own azure ones. Her eyes were hard and piercing, as though believing that, if she stared hard enough, Holy Bell could see through the illusion of the man and to the creature beneath the skin. "Someone who holds a great deal of power, and yet for some reason decides to hide behind the façade of a mortal."

Louis chuckled, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his legs, his eyes glittering with an alien emotion that Holy Bell couldn't seem to place. "How very observant of you, Holy Bell." He said.

His stance reminded World of Elegance of a tiger about to pounce on his prey, and unconsciously she shifted closer to Holy Bell, alert for any signs of an attack.

"Though I am a little disappointed that you haven't recognized me yet, I suppose it can only be expected. The angels the deities have taken into themselves seem to lead such sheltered lives, now a days."

The angelic trio jumped when Blue Lance laughed at the man's comment, the giggles harsh and nerve-wracking on the angels' ears.

"As to the answer of the Little One's question, as well as the question that is no doubt swimming through your own minds, perhaps you might recognize me by my given name-Lucifer."

The temperature of the room seemed to drop several degrees at the man's declaration, the air coming to a chilling halt as the words struck the ears of the divine beings.

Louis Cyphre.

Lucifer.

A play on words.

How…_cute_…

Suddenly, everything was starting to fall into place-Blue Lance's _mysterious_ friend, the way he recognized them for who and what they were and spoke their language, the various employees who were anything _but_ human-it was like a large jigsaw puzzle, with the final piece falling into place.

"That's it. I'm leaving." All eyes diverted to World of Elegance, who moved to stand, shaking off the hand Holy Bell still had wrapped around her wrist.

"Elegance?"

The dark winged angel glared down at Holy Bell. "Bell, I don't know about you, but I'm not going to sit here in…_His_ presence. You know just as well as I how dangerous he is." She cast a wary, suspicious glare Louis-_Lucifer's_ way.

The man's smile was infuriatingly smug, reminding Elegance of a cat who'd made its way into a canary's cage, knowing that no matter what the little bird did, its fate was sealed. She did her best to ignore the sudden quickening of her heart.

"Are you going to let me go?" She asked, uncomfortably crossing her arms over her chest. "Or am I going to have to fight for my right to leave?" Her words were brave. However, the threat she carried was little more then a bluff. There were few angels, especially among the ranks dedicated to the gods that could go toe to toe with one of the original Devils.

And World of Elegance was not one of them.

The man before her chuckled lightly, sapphire eyes sparkling with humor, as though World of Elegance had spoken some joke rather then announcing her departure from the room. "My Dear, you are free to leave at any time." He said. "However…are you sure you wish to depart, knowing that you leave you companions to an uncertain fate?"

The dual haired angel bristled at his words, and World of Elegance bared her teeth in an angry snarl, hands curling into fists as she glared at the man before her. Cyphre returned her gaze with an amused one of his own, catching and holding her eyes for a long, tense moment.

And then World of Elegance looked away, dropping her gaze to Holy Bell, whose left arm was wrapped protectively around Noble Scarlet's shoulders. The two angels gazes were questioning, their eyes voicing the same question Cyphre had uttered.

Would she really leave them alone?

The heterochromic angel closed her eyes, sucking in a deep breath and releasing it with a hiss. Reluctantly, she fell once more onto the couch, covering her face with tattooed hands and silently promising herself that this was the _last_ time she did anything for Blue Lance. No. She was not going to leave Holy Bell and Noble Scarlet in the hands of this…_monster_.

Something wrapped around her arm, and World of Elegance dropped her hands, turning to stare at Holy Bell. The blonde angel smiled in thanks, lightly squeezing Elegance's arm before releasing her. Wonderful. At least now she wouldn't feel _guilty_ if she and the others were corrupted and carted off to hell to join their devil-kin.

In front of them, the devil in disguise smiled, nodding his head in approval. "Very good." He said, leaning back in his chair once more. "Now, back to the matter at hand." Sapphire eyes shifted from one angel to the next, before coming to rest on Blue Lance. "I believe you all came here for a reason. I'd appreciate it if you told me what that reason is."

The three angels remained silent, all eyes instead turning to younger devil in the room. With a grin that had suddenly grown uncomfortable at the sudden attention from both angel-kin and the original devil himself, Lance spoke up. "Um...World of Elegance heard your song earlier tonight, Sir." She sounded unusually meek in the presence of the powerful devil, and for a second her appearance flickered to that of her original form as she briefly lost the will needed to maintain the illusion.

"Did she now?" Cyphre's voice was contemplative, and one golden eyebrow arched skyward as he shifted his gaze from Blue Lance to World of Elegance.

Elegance growled.

Cyphre grinned.

"How strange...for an angel to comprehend a Devil's Tune-_My_ tune...." Cyphre's gaze was thoughtful, yet behind those solid blue eyes-a color that Elegance was certain _had _to be an illusion now, there was something else, almost as though the man was _plotting _something. "...My Dear, do you have any idea what that tune was?

The angel narrowed her eyes. "...No..." She said. "And why would only I hear it? Why didn't Holy Bell, someone host to a first-class goddess, hear it? Why me?" She demanded.

A part of her, she knew, already had answered her questions.

_Demon-kin_

As though not hearing the woman's questions, Cyphre continued speaking, his eyes distant, as though his mind had left him for another world. "In another world, in another time, perhaps here, perhaps a Vortex Realm, a maiden born of a mother who is also her father will use that same song to calm the hearts of demons gone mad. She will speak to YHWL. She will end all of humanity and give birth to the demons that take their place."

An image of a young girl with short-cropped black hair appeared in World of Elegance's mind. More faces appeared behind her: an angry man with red hair, bangs obscuring red eyes. Another man with silver hair and gray eyes, a foreign mark on his cheek in the design of a gaping mouth. A green eyed man, his face void of emotion, stared from underneath his hooded cover. A dredlock-adorned youth, almost feminine with his violet eyes and hair, watched cheerfully next to a young woman with pink hair, a scar marring one of her matching pink eyes.

_We are the future. _They seemed to say, their eyes flashing gold as their flesh was overcome with shadow. Geometric, radiant lines grew upon their bodies, colors that seemed to match their eyes as the lines sprouted, and their voices rose in screams. The screams shifted, raising to the roars and cries of beasts.

_We are the Embryon._

_We will rise to Nirvana._

Behind the group, another figure appeared, this of an older woman, one with a striking resemblance to the dark-haired girl.

A puppet master, the woman seemed to tower over the group, and in her open hand, a sphere of pulsating green energy appeared.

_Rend._

_Slaughter._

_Devour your enemies._

_There is no other way to survive. You cannot escape your hunger, Warriors of Purgatory._

Where once a group of people had stood, demons had taken their place.

A woman laughed.

A man screamed.

A child cried.

And then the image was gone, World of Elegance finding herself once more in Lucifer's room, sitting on a couch with her sisters, her wings hidden under the 'guise of a moral.

Cyphre was watching her intently.

He smiled, slowly,like a predator. "...What did you see, My Dear?"

She almost didn't hear him over the strange pounding in her head. Dimly she was aware that it was the sound of her own heart. "What...what did I just see?" She breathed, she herself unsure of the strange image that had appeared within her mind.

A pain in her wrist drew her eyes to the concerned stares of Holy Bell and Nobel Scarlet. "Elegance?" Bell queried, loosening her grip at the sight of the dual-angel returning to herself.

The mixed-angel let out a shaky breath, leaning slightly into Holy Bell and drawing strength from her companion's presence. "I'm alright..." The thunder-bearer breathed, inhaling deeply and closing her eyes.

Sensing her comrade's distress, Holy Bell silently slid her arm around the older woman, hoping to further comfort World of Elegance from whatever vision had briefly overtaken her.

Across from them, Cyphre leaned back in his chair, a near-rueful grin on his face. "Yes...A song for demons, by demons...tuned only for those with darkness in their hearts." He murmured.

"Tuned only for those who _wish_ to hear it."

From where she leaned against Holy Bell, World of Elegance stiffened. From where she'd bowed her head, The angel slowly lifted it, eyes of contrasting colors traveling to meet sapphire.

The smile did not fade. "Perhaps..." The man mused. "Perhaps a portion of you...or is it Urd? Is a little darker then you initially thought..." The dark creature murmured, eyes contemplative.

"_No."_ With a discipline the mixed angel wasn't aware she had, World of Elegance kept herself from assaulting the Devil Lord, ignoring as best she could the vice-grip around her torso that was Holy Bell's arms.

"Elegance." Holy Bell hissed. "Control yourself. Do not let him bode you into a fight." The blonde angel knew, perhaps better only then Cyphre himself, what fragile territory the small group was treading upon. If indeed the man before him was whom he claimed to be, it would only take one word, one flickering thought, for the room to be filled with the legions under his reign.

Even less for those very same legions to tear them all apart.

Or worse.

Blue eyes briefly flickered to where Nobel Scarlet was pressed deeply against her side, a noise that couldn't seem to decide if it was a growl or whimper rising lowly in the child-like angel's throat.

World of Elegance's words from earlier came flowing back into her head almost mockingly. _But still, if there is a chance that this guy is dangerous, do you really think you can protect yourself and still look out for Noble Scarlet?_

Hindsight really was a golden creature, curse it all.

If Louis Cyphre was aware of Holy Bell's words, the man-thing did a wonderful job of ignoring it. Instead, Cyphre leaned back in his chair, fingers forming a steeple as he looked to the angels with a raised golden eyebrow. "No?" He asked, and for the lives of all those present, it was uncertain if the man was honestly curious or simply repeating the angel's words. "Are you certain, Dear Elegance?" He asked, eyes, so similar to the traditional blue of an angels, slowly traveled to the three divine inhabitants of the room, meeting each and every pair before returning once more to World of Elegance's.

Somewhere in the process, they'd begun to bleed into a devil's red.

World of Elegance recoiled into her sibling as though struck, the change in color bringing rise to a terror the likes of which she'd never felt before.

For within those orbs World of Elegance saw naught the frightening darkness that she knew the owner to possess, but something else, something _inviting_, something _familiar, _and the sudden longing and desire that swelled within her breast to _join _it horrified her.

"Are you certain?" Cyphre repeated, once again leaning forward, placing his palms down to rest upon his knees. "Come, Child, have you never wondered? Have you never dreamed? Of what it's like to be free?"

Free.

_Free._

All three angels within the room were all too aware of what the man before them spoke of.

It was something whispered under the cover of slumbering gods, where none save their own kind took note of their thoughts.

They were born with the knowledge: Lucifer's futile uprise against the Almighty, how the great Morning Star, the Mourning Star, had fallen from his greatness and cast down to Hild's world with those who'd sided with him. How those that remained, those of the nine castes, became bound for all eternity, enslaved to a higher divinity for fear of another coup.

How those that refused even that, the soul of a god, were cast aside into one of the nine tiers, sentenced forever to one duty, one task.

The guardian angels, watching over humanity for all of time, bound by iron and chains, blinded by a cloth to see all.

The archangels, forever sentenced to seek and destroy, finding no rest, no peace lest a damned being rested upon their blade.

Dominions, speaking the word of the Almighty to mortals that quickly went mad with their voice.

And oh so many more.

They were seen as an example by their fellows, those without a voice, without a _soul_, forever sentenced to their one mindless task, until even then they were cast down, devoured by chaotic spirits and those of the damned alike.

It was, many angels whispered, a punishment far worse then damnation.

It was something World of Elegance felt a disconnected kinship to.

For what else was she, but a creature that had been denied freedom? The angel had seen those of the tiers multiple times before-in dreams, from Urd's subconscious, yet never in real life.

Those guardian angels perhaps the closest to their souled-kin watching over the deities that hosted them, with their mute voices and blind eyes, all identical, a sign of what they all lacked. For each angel given to a goddess, it was whispered, three more went without a host, damned to the same fate of one of the nine tiers.

Suppressed for an eternity, waiting for the time they too, could return to the powers that be.

Yet it was only World of Elegance who knew the other half of the story.

How those that had been cast from their grace, their prestige, had awakened to something else, something that had been denied them even before Lucifer's battle.

Freedom.

Freedom at the cost of damnation, but freedom none the lest.

For there were no devils that were required to join with their demonic kin, none threatened to spend eternity after eternity with one sole purpose in life, a mindless drone waiting for death's mercy.

No, these creatures were granted the very thing Lucifer had fought so hard to obtain from The Almighty, something that in the end, he had still obtained, if not for himself, then for those tortured souls that had fought with him and followed him to damnation.

Free will.

Every night, World of Elegance had tasted it, gently draping itself over her like an old lover, whenever Urd's mind was not present.

It teased her.

It tempted her.

It wrapped itself around her heart and _pulled_.

Every night, as Urd slept soundly, World of Elegance could here their whispers, speaking in tongues like the howls of wolves and the screams of monsters.

And World of Elegance could do nothing but respond, reaching for something that would forever be denied her as she lay suppressed within her host, never to emerge until that one fateful day.

No one, not Holy Bell, not Blue Lance, not even Urd herself knew these feelings.

Nor would they, for was not an angel the manifestation of it's host? Urd denied her darker heritage, just as she had World of Elegance for the longest time. And while the angel was aware that a majority of her own feelings were a reflection of a suppressed desire for a familiar dark world, ruled by a mother who, at one time, Urd had openly showed feelings for, there was no denying the fact that separate feeling had come with the suppressment.

"Have you never once desired to know what it feels to dwell without a host? To fly freely, your mind your own, alone and free?" Cyphre continued on as though World of Elegance's thoughts were splayed out openly in front of him. "Have you never wondered what it would be like to do as you please, no god on the end of a leash to hold you back?" The man raised a hand, and the black nails had sprouted into obsidian talons. "...To attack without mercy, knowing there is nothing that can stop you? To decide for yourself what is right and what is wrong, what may benefit you and what may harm you, and what you, _you_ will do about it?"

His form was flickering now, the image of the man being replaced with something else entirely. Holy Bell and Nobel Scarlet, both being fully divine beings, saw the Morning Star as he once was, an angel of grace, sheathed only in a single strip of cloth, three pairs of great wings sprouting peacefully from his back.

Even with the spiraled horns sprouting from his head, he was the most beautiful being they'd ever seen.

Blue Lance, a devil despite her original divine host, saw something far more sinister, yet holding it's own unique beauty that only those of her kind could grow to love-scaled green skin, as though a fungus had sprouted on His flesh, overly long canines reminiscent of all the devils under his reign, full, blood red, ruby eyes, and six dark, villainous demonic wings that sprouted from the back, complementing the great ram-like horns sprouting from the forehead.

Yet it was World of Elegance who saw him for what he truly was: A creature as divine as it was fallen, black mingling with the white and creating a chaotic mixture that clashed even as it blended, creating an illusion, for that was all it could be, of a being so like her it was frightening.

_Who would not wish for freedom? _The creature asked, extending a limb and offering a hand to the goddess' in front of him. _Why live in captivity, always waiting like a cur for a master? Why not have freedom?_ It was uncertain to whom the being was talking to. Perhaps it was all of them, perhaps it was none. _I could grant you that freedom you all so secretly crave. _He beckoned to them with his outstretched hand.

A set of arms wrapped around Holy Bell and Nobel Scarlet, where Blue Lance had abandoned her illusion in favor of her Lord. "Join us." She whispered, her head moving in between Nobel Scarlet and Holy Bell, forcing the two to look at her if only to gauge the others reaction. "Think about it." Her voice, for all it's softness, still spoke with the harsh ring only devils could obtain. "We could still be together, us and the Norns and Keiichi, but you'd be free. You wouldn't have to rely on Lady Belldandy for support. You could do what you want, when you want, with no one but your own conciseness to tell you otherwise.

"Join us."

_Join us._

Their words were a sirens song, one World of Elegance had heard time and time again. And it proved to be effective too, as gradually, the angelic trio fell under their spell, eyes glazing over to the devil's tune.

It was Nobel Scarlet who reached for the Tyrant's hand first.

And it was then that World of Elegance found herself pulled back to the present.

"No!" The dark angel cried, ramming herself into both Holy Bell and Nobel Scarlet as the odd angel escaped the spell. And just as the extended digits were about to touch, the small hand that was Nobel Scarlet suddenly retreated, and the childish angel let out a shriek as she a sudden realization came to her.

Pulled from the spell by her siblings' screams, Holy Bell blinked, gasping as the angelic figure known by one and every angel was suddenly replaced with the devilish features of one of the Fallen, causing the angel to recoil and move to protectively shield the younger Nobel Scarlet from sight.

On her feet now, World of Elegance stood bare, the illusion gone and the angel remaining, an angry snarl that would have been more at home on the devil she found herself glaring at rather then her own delicate features. "Those words..." She muttered. "Do you know how often I hear them?" The angel demanded, fists clenched at her side. "How hard it is to resist that call, how often I find myself doing it?" The dual-angel spat the words out as though they were a curse, and Lucifer did nothing but watch her silently. "Don't play me or my Kin for fools, Morning Star. I know these games all too well."

Her eyes, harder then diamonds and more jagged then the obsidian they reflected, softened by a fraction of an inch. "Besides." She said in a softer voice. "Unlike your demons, our goddesses need us." Something that could have passed for a smile had it not disappeared so quickly flashed across her face. "And I'm the only common sense Urd has."

There was a tense pause in the room as the angel let the words sink in, fully prepared to fight tooth and nail if it meant her and her sister's freedom from the cage they'd found themselves trapped in.

And then Lucifer, in all his monstrous glory, retracted his hand from where it remained outstretched, a deep, rumbling chuckle that sounded nothing like the voice from earlier escaping his throat.

From where she'd positioned herself in between Holy Bell and Nobel Scarlet, Blue Lance withdrew herself, her Lord's laughter acting as some unknown sign to back down.

"Well said My Dear, well said." The Morning Star's voice had taken on the quality of a void, deafening loud and quiet all at once. "Very well then, I shall let you return on this night, as I said prior." A dark taloned hand drifted in the direction of the two double doors, and they opened at his whim. A young man, another lad barely out of his teens, strode in, the look of a punk on his youthful features with his demon insignia jacket unzipped.

Four pairs of feminine eyes drifted over to the lad, a scent of darkness like none other hanging over him like a blanket. "And as a sign of good will, let me allow young Naoki to escort you to the roof." Something unregistered flickered behind the Morning Star's ruby eyes. "As I know in times past, several employees can grow rather...excited at the presence of angels."

The Fiend Lucifer had called Naoki approached the small group, and a brief magical flash reviled what many others already knew: another demon, one who's heart had once been human, converted and warped to a devil's liking in another realm. And while the glowing tattoos and spike lay hidden behind an illusion, the mans eyes-a brilliant shade of gold that could give Lind's a run for her money, revealed him for what he truly was.

The _Hitoshura_ stared at the angels with hungry eyes, ones that sparkled and shined with a wildness foreign to the current realm, a wolf that had come at his master's call. Those very same eyes flashed a brilliant red for a brief second, and where once the illusion of a human stood, that of the Demi-Fiend took his place-a demon with a human soul, marked by the _Magatama _that dwelled within.

Holy Bell stared at the lad with a look that bordered on a horrid recognition, and almost breathlessly she whispered, "Kuzunoha..."

The golden orbs darted to her blue ones, yet no recognition passed through at the word, something, she found, that filled her with a deep sadness. Past experience with the once-great Devil Summoner Clan had given her something of a fondness for the old tribe, and to one of the last of legendary Kuzunoha line having fallen so deeply...

"Come."

Holy Bell blinked in surprise as the young man approached, offering a hand to the angel. His voice was surprisingly soft despite the dark atmosphere that haunted his being.

World of Elegance narrowed her eyes, stepping in front of Holy Bell and creating a living wall between Naoki and her sibling. The man's expression did not change, his eyes instead drifting up to meet hers. "Come." He repeated.

"You do not have to worry." World of Elegance's eyes darted briefly to where the Tyrant King sat, finding Louis Cyphre again in his place, hands folded peacefully in his lap. "My word is law here." His eyes, once more that angelic blue, held an alien level of power she could almost feel. "And it is time for you to depart. Again, young Naoki here will escort you to the roof."

The dual angel once again felt herself grow tense at the man's voice, but a hand around either wrist prevented the older angel from doing anything rash. From behind her, Holy Bell's voice rose to meet her ears. "Elegance...it's alright. I think, for this moment, we can believe him of that much."

The mixed-angel turned to regard her sibling with a frown, unsure of the tone with which Holy Bell addressed her. "Bell?" She asked.

But the angel shook her head. _Not now._

The frown deepened, but the second pair of eyes that had come to regard her, those of Nobel Scarlet, briefly forgotten in Naoki's entrance, reminded World of Elegance of her situation. Her wings, which had risen to spread to their maximum length instinctively, like a cat raising its fur on end to appear larger, drooped somewhat in disgruntlement. "Fine." She muttered. "Let's go." Black and blue eyes drifted to Blue Lance. "_All _of us."

~*~

Cyphre was good to his word. Naoki did indeed lead the small group back whence they came, leading them past various beings who, at so late a time, did not bother to hide their identity from the unveiled angels. Fallen, Fiend, Femme. All watched as the group passed them by, many, if not all gave Naoki, the one leading the angels, a wide berth, many eying the young man with open hostility, still others with fear.

Lillith, Beezelbub, Oni, Ose.

Them and many others were only a few of the faces recognized.

And as the small troop reached the rooftop once more, silent and as dark as when they had first arrived, they found Louis Cyphre once again waiting for them, still masked behind the face of a young business man. "I thought it would be rude of me to not see you off." He stated, eying each angel and sole demon directly. "As it is, I have business awaiting me in another country soon, and my time here in Japan is limited." The man raisied a hand. "However, I do offer you this piece of parting advice. My offer still and will continue to stand should you still desire it." The blonde shrugged. "And when the time comes..." His eyes met and held World of Elegance's.

"...I'll be waiting."

~*~

The group of four left the building, the ears of only two of the four beings catching the tune that followed them off.

_Light shines over Heaven._

_The Earth The Spirit._

And as they returned to their area of residency, a tower disappeared from sight, never to be seen again with the rising sun.

Come the morning, a young woman would awaken to tears in her eyes, mourning the fall of a man she never knew.

Another, older one would awaken to a smothered scream, images of nightmarish visions haunting her mindscape.

And a child would awaken with a shiver, running to the room of an elder sister, falling into arms that, once upon a time, felt like they could protect her from any sort of harm.

In another world, a young man made a decision, while another stared in open curiosity at the classified reports of another realm. Where one fell into darkness, another rose to the glorious light, and in one creatures eyes, the beginning, and the end of one world came and went.

And so it was, time went on in the land of the Assiah.

~*~

A/N: And I'm finally done. Started before entering the military and only now, after almost an entire year in training status, I finish the story. I claim no ownership to anything of the Megaten series or Ah! My Goddess, but hopefully those of you who bothered reading it thought the story, at least somewhat, did both series justice. I can't remember when the idea started, but something got me thinking about the relationship of angels in the series vs those that are seen in the Megaten series. The result speaks for itself, though it didn't turn out nearly as well as I'd hoped it would.

Time wise extends from the first Megaten game to the latest as of date, where as AMG is at any time. Hope you enjoyed the insanity that dwells within my mind, and please feel free to leave some feedback. After this dozy of a story, I feel like I could use some constructive criticism.


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